Your experience with Snap-on warranty/refund?

[andrewmaciag]

I was curious if any other members on this board had any unusual experience(s) with Snap-On's customer service/warranty for hand tools? I recently purchased a SAE & Metric set of the double flare nut wrenches off their official website with my student account @ sep.snapon.com. Both sets arrived with chrome plating uncasted on all the ends of the wrenches with surface rust, except for the two smallest sizes in both sets. The SAE set was sealed, but when I opened it for some reason there was also black grime/dirt caked under all of the wrenches. I requested an exchange, and they requested all my information which I provided. Then, I was told I'd get a call back later in that same afternoon (I called in the morning). I called them yesterday right before their customer service closed--then they told me I will definitely be contacted the next morning at the latest. Still, nothing all day--no call. Placing the order and having it sent out to me was definitely hasty, but this whole refund/exchange process seems to be quite worrying now. Even when dealing with a place like Autozone, it's usually an immediate prepaid return postage they send in the e-mail soon as I contact them. For the money I spent and the condition arrived in, it's some-what discouraging to order again with how this is going so far...even though, I did end up ordering a couple ratchets from them yesterday as well...

What's your guys experience with Snap-On warranty recently? Do you think I should I be worried? I feel slightly paranoid because of how expensive both the sets were.

 

[Bighead38]

Any chance you could find a local driver?

 

[L.Cheapo]

I have never had the opportunity to purchase through the SEP Program, but the very, very few dealings I've had with corporate have been overwhelmingly positive. Perhaps you have to deal with someone from the SEP? I've always been assisted by whomever answered the phone--no call backs, no transfers, just solutions.

 

[T45]

you should be fine as long as you have electronic purchase records. just relax and be polite but firm as you follow up. chrome plating needs quality control, as statistically the process is never 100% fullproof. but that is exactly what warranty is for.

I would say if you have an issue after 1 or 2 weeks, then that would be a serious problem. if the timefram is 24-48 hours I wouldn't really get worked up about it. Its enough money (even with a discount) that you should make sure everything is taken care of, so be conscientious and work with them. If after 72 hours the issues doesn not have a clear path to resolution, then I would make another call to customer service and ask for someone to please elevate the issue or provide a written explanation of what needs to be done.

Snap on is very service-oriented towards professionals and organizations with legitimate professional relationships with the company. They can be difficult (or sometimes standoffish) with random people calling them and making demands. So avoid that tactic, and emphasize you are a legitimate customer.

All that aside, it does seem some of the SEP orders get filled a bit haphazardly

I assume because the "snap on guy" is a sales rep/and is usually not a truck driver who takes a closer look at everything before it stocks or ships, some ??? items may slip thru that might otherwise be realized as out of spec.

 

[JimNC]

I have switched to using chat on their website for all customer service. They about trip over themselves getting stuff out to me, and even though about 1/2 the warranty orders have a minor problem of one sort or the other you get a transcript of the conversation and things are cleared up on the following chat. Stuff gets to me within a week.

I do not qualify for a discount, wish that I did!

 

[andrewmaciag]

I went with JimNC's advice of going with live chat, so that I could keep the transcript for my records.
I censored the Snap-On live chat assistant's name for privacy.

To shorten some of the conversation and get straight to the point, it lead to the following below..

Just a bit worried at this point 4:01:47 PM
snapon: One moment while I pull up your order. 4:02:21 PM
me: Thank you 4:02:25 PM
snapon: Absolutely. I apologize that this has not already been resolved. 4:04:12 PM
me: Thank you for the help 4:04:36 PM
snapon: I have the order. One more moment please. 4:05:22 PM
Our department is working on this request. You will have a response by the end of the business day tomorrow. 4:06:37 PM
Is there anything else that I can try and assist you with today? 4:07:01 PM
Your order number for reference is xxxxxxxxxx. 4:07:21 PM
me: I see. Okay. Thanks. Would I be contacted through my same phone number I called at? ***-***-xxxx? 4:07:38 PM
snapon: Yes, that is the number we have on file. 4:08:10 PM
me: Okay. Thank you so much your help. 4:08:19 PM
snapon: Is there anything else today? 4:08:38 PM
me: Just that. Thanks though 4:08:48 PM
snapon: Thank you for contacting Snap-on Tools. Have a great day! 4:08:50 PM
me: You as well. 4:08:54 PM

The call back ended up being delayed slightly again.

Hopefully, all goes well. Just don't understand the delay of why they keep pushing the call back further than what I'm being told. I suppose I'm letting what I let out of my pocket just get to my head and getting a bit paranoid from what I received for the price. Will update if all goes well!

 

[kd3pc]

sep is a different beast all the way around. I believe it still has to go through the school and the school's rep to make sure it is on the up and up.

One of our kids turned in a ratchet through the SEP program. They promptly provided the school rep the replacement, but the rep only passes through every now and then...and it took 3 weeks for the student to get the replacement.

I would chat them an hour before closing every day until it is resolved, or if you have your school's rep email/phone I would call him to "advise" him things are strangled somewhere and you are concerned why it is taking so long, will that be the case when you get a job?

bests.

 

[andrewmaciag]

@kd3pc
Though I purchased through their SEP website, I had it shipped directly to my house address instead of my school's without going through anything with the school rep. at any point or even having to mention anything to my instructor or school rep. of my purchase. So, I'm not too sure if he will be able to get involved.

For whatever reason, the transcript to my email only sent me the first two lines and not the rest of the conversation with the Snap-On employee. Regardless, I had the browser still open after I checked my e-mail, so I PrtScn'd (screenshot) all of the conversation in multiple pictures in paint. Not sure what's up with that. Thanks for the responses.

 

[Brick Axelrod]

I have never had a problem with Snap on warranty issues in the 27 years I have been buying tools. However I have never bought from anywhere but a dealer, several different dealers though.

 

[JohnDeere1]

I've been put on back order only to receive the wrong tool dated 2013 and scratched up but got to keep it SHLF80A instead of fhlf80a was fine with me. Also recieved other tools with bad grind marks and scratches ,I've had better luck with dealers I guess because they can inspect the tools better. The people on the phone have always been very nice and eager to please and provide A1 service always.

 

[bob15]

Never had any issues with their warranties, even with tools bought 20 years earlier when I still had a driver. Cannot complain about Snappy one bit.......

have patience, but also stay on top of it.

 

[97nismo]

Yea they usually send warranty stuff out asap no questions asked

 

[tym]

I've only had to deal with their customer service once. I ordered a set of files and it seems they accidentally tried to deliver it to my billing address instead of my shipping address. The billing address is a POB, so UPS doesn't deliver there. They kindly sent out another set of files to my shipping address no questions asked. When I asked them what I should do if the first set of files actually showed up (e.g. should I contact them to RMA them), they said that given the cost, I should just keep 'em. The missing set eventually showed up, so I ended up gifting them to my dad.

I've bought from them a few times since, and have always wound up happy.

 

[P51Boilermaker]

I've also purchased a bunch of stuff through the SEP program. Received a bent 11/32 wrench once as well as crowfeet that were pitted! They took the crowfeet back but let me keep the bent wrench.

 

[Wesley B]

I bought a new snap on wrench the other day that looked like it had rust on it, but was actually just compound that had not been fully cleaned out. Can you post up a picture of what your wrenches look like?

 

[Bellaireroad]

There are a lot of threads started comparing snap on quality to other brands, but the biggest point in buying snap on is never mentioned....they have the best warranty in the business, they have always bent over backwards for me on warranties.
You will never need to buy a replacement for a failed hand tool....40 years from now when that ratchet fails, they will replace it.
Hang in there, you'll get everything taken care of

 

[Wamsutta]

You're supposed to get unlimited customer service when buying off the website and having the receipt. I don't see why they didn't email you a prepaid shipping label.

 

[crewchief888]

havent had a problem in the past 30+ years ive been dealing with them...

other trucks/drivers have been a different story, that why i stopped buying from them...

 

[andrewmaciag]

Just an update
At this point, I emailed my Snap-On account manager of the whole ordeal mentioning how things seem to be stuck with my call back being constantly pushed back since this Tuesday with no response of any way to have an exchange or anything other than just being told to wait for them to call me back. I just called customer service 30 minutes before they close today and now being told once again today through customer service that I have to wait another 48 hours/2 business days to receive a call back (which would be next Tuesday). Trying my best just to receive a replacement, and still nothing. I'm hoping for a response back from my account manager soon, since I can't get any explanation of why my calls are being pushed back when asked. All that was explained to me is that the request has been made by 2 different employee's and that I will have to wait for the call back

Will give another update if all goes well soon


vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
I understand that the finish doesn't have to be perfect, but I spent almost over $300 on these wrenches for what they are. I also don't want to have the condition they arrived in affect the warranty down the road somehow since they already arrived this way to begin with. Seeing how some others I know around me receive theirs totally in normal condition for the same price just doesn't seem too fair, so I'd personally rather not have 2 sets that I paid for without the chrome plating and already rusting when I just purchased them brand new for that price. What's even more worrying to me, is if I were to purchase more tools than I already own from them is if I would get this problem during my career with them replacing my tools. Starting off as a low income student, I don't have the money to buy a back up set of quality tools like this in the mean time of waiting for them to do whatever they are doing

 

[bigdav160]

As mentioned, I think SEP is a whole 'nother animal. My students purchase through the local school rep.

I didn't know SO was allowing SEP purchases online.

Of course I am not too critical of my tools. If they function fine, I don't GARA if the finish isn't perfect.

<------- has many tens of thousands of dollars of SO tools

 

[crf450x]

Talk to your rep. It's his job to handle stuff like this. I seem to get a lot of "scratch and dent" stuff through sep too. But they will replace it.

 

[kelwar]

I got a few screwdrivers with peeling chrome a wrench with snapon stamped at an angle and a socket stamped out of round when I did my order threw the student program. So it does seem like they use it as a way to get rid of some of their seconds. I mentioned it to my local snapon dealer and he warrantied them for me no questions asked.

 

[andrewmaciag]

Just to update, in case of any other students that may run across this thread in the future by doing a search or something.. I figured I should end this thread with what happened. Snap-On did eventually send me a prepaid postage to do an exchange. It just took about a week with requesting assistance from my local account manager to help speed things up. The customer service for students in the SEP program in particular seems to take a bit longer than usual. They did eventually resolve the issue, so all is well IMO.

 

[tym]

^Glad to hear that Snap On took care of you. I've been more than impressed with their customer service.

 

[lbhsbz]

I called them about warrantying a few drawer slides on a box I bought new 16 years ago, I'm no longer in the shop, so I don't have a dealer. I offered the model number, serial number, and the dealer's name I bought it from...they were on my doorstep the next day. Snap-On not only produces excellent tools, but they demand the price they do because of excellent service.

 

[kkroger]

Broke a Flex Head 3/8 ratchet overusing it, E-mailed SO CS and they shipped a replacement and did not want the broken one shipped in. Told my Dealer about it, and he swapped out the broken one and said "You now have a spare"

 

[Cummins_Tech]

As much grief guys give the truck owners, it really is handy to have a guy that shows up every week that'll swap out whatever you've torn up that week, no questions asked, with a smile and a handshake. Our driver is top notch.


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[Todd.Brock]

I have had good luck returning things I purchased. It's a bunch of **** you need to wait for a call back.... what do I need a call back for when I am speaking to you?? I don't get it. Exchange it or gimme my money back. I get SEP is a different beast but why is this so complicated. Email a pre paid label, I ll stick the **** in a box and return it then you mail me some new stuff.

 

[DanielC99]

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